Amalgam-table for the manufacture of mirrors



(No Model.)

F. SOHMITZ. AMALGAM TABLE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MIRRORS. No. 341,94 8.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

9 PatentedMay 18, 1886.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. F. SOHMITZ.

AMALGAM TABLE FOR THE MANUFAGTURE 0P MIRRORS.

No. 341,948. Patented May 18, 1886.

N. PETERS. Pholn-Lr||wgraphen Washinglun. no

NITED *rarns nrnnr tries.

FRIEDRICH SCHMITZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AlVlALGAM-TABLE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MIRRORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3&1,9%8, dated May 18,1886.

Application tiled February 16, 1886. Serial No. 192,160. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH SOHMITZ, a subjectof the Emperor ofGermany, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AmalgamTables for the Manufacture. of Mirrors, of which the follow ing isaspecification, reference being had there in to the accompanyingdrawings.

My invention relates to tables employed in the manufacture of mirrorsfor coating the glass plate with tin-foil by the amalgam process, and ithas for its object to produce such a table that will facilitate andaccelerate the process.

My invention therefore principally consists, first, in the supportingsuch table on three setscrews that will provide a ready adjustment forperfectly leveling the same; secondly, in providing such table withtrunnions that will enable its swinging from a horizontal to averticalposition for facilitating the discharge of the mercury and for theremoval of the mirror after completion; thirdly, in a roller to one endas a support and guide for the glass plate while placing it upon thetable; and, fourthly, in steam-heating pipes secured under such tablefor accelerating the amalgamating process, all as will be hereinaftermore fully de scribed and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan of the table;Fig. 2, alongitudinal vertical section through the table and its pivotalsupports; Fig. 3, a bottom View of the table; Fig. 4:, a side elevationof the same, and Fig. 5 an end elevation of the journal box.

' Corresponding letters in the several figures of thedrawings designatelike parts.

Adenotes the table, made of glass or marble, to be perfectly smooth andtrue, and resting upon a wooden frame composed of longitudinal beamsa,and of cross-plates b,secured thereupon. At about one-th ird theentire length of the table is secured under the longitudinal beams a thetransverse supporting-beam B,

having trunnions c pro ecting at each side from under such table.

Against one end of the table-frame are secured bracket-bearings f,between which is pivoted a roller, C, also having a central bearing, g.

In suitable hangers, l1, secured under beams a, are suspendedsteamradiating pipes D,connected by semicircular couplings i, to form azigzag continuation with each other. One end of this pipe arrangementhas connected by a coupling, j, a hose, E, that communicates with asteam-generator, and the other end has connected by a similar coupling ahose, F, for leading off the steam.

The table A is supported by three jackscrews, G G and H, the jackscrewsG G being tapped each through a hub, m, of standardframes I, the upperparts of which standardframes form guides for blocks a, upon whichpivotally rest the journal-boxes 0 for trunnions c of transverse beam B.These boxes 0 are thus supported that they can accommodate themselves toditferentangles of trunniousc during the adjustment of the table.Thejack-screw H is secured upon the floor under the center of the frontend of the table-frame. After the table A has been adjusted by theset-screws G and H to be perfectly level, the tin foil, that is .to be atrifle larger than the mirror-plate, is

spread upon such table, and over this tin-foil is distributed mercury toabout the even thickness of one-eighth of an inch, to the accomplishmentof which glass strips are placed upon the edges of the tin-foil. Now,for placing the glass plate over this tin-foil great care must be takenthat such plate, while being shifted from one end, neither will touchand thereby damage the tin foil nor be raised above the mercury,andthereby allow air to be caught thereunder, that would form blisters; butthe advancing edge of the plate must be held sufficiently immersed inthe mercury that it will displace a portion of it to collect in thechannels (I and to be carried off through nozzle c. It will be readilyseen that this placing of the plate is a very tedious operation,particularly with the manufacture of large and heavy mirrors, and stillmore so Without a guide or support for steadyingsuch plate while beingmoved. For the purpose of facilitating this operation, I have attachedthe roller 0, that will support and guide the plate while being pushedforward. After the glass plate has been placed so as to float upon thecontinuous and unbroken sheet'of mercury, it is pressed l of a troughformed on the edges of the same,

down by loading it with heavy weights, whereby nearly all the mercury ispressed out from between the plate and tin-foil, excepting so much ashas amalgamated with the tin. Steam being passed now through theradiator-pipes D, the heat thus applied will accelerate the chemicalprocess of adhering the tin-foil to the glass, that, formerly requiringfrom three to four days,will be accomplished in four hours, during whichtime the table is inclined more and more, first by turning the set-screwH and afterward bya rope and tackle, until a nearly vertical position ofthe table will make it easy for the finished mirror to be removed. Whilethus inclined the live mercury still adhering will be discharged.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with a silvering-table, of a rollermounted in bearings secured thereto, as set forth.

2. The combinaliomwitha tilting silveringtable, of a roller mounted inbearings secured thereto, as set forth.

3. The combination, with a silvering-table,

said trough provided with a discharge-nozzle andhose, as set forth.

4. The combination, with a silvering-iable, of a steam-pipe suspended inhangers beneath the table, said pipe extending in a zigzag line acrossthe bottom of the table, and connected at one end to a steam-generatorand at the other end to an escape pipe or hose, as set forth.

5. The combination, with a silvering-table, of three screw-supportstherefor, two of such supports being arranged forward of the center ofthe table and upon opposite sides, and the remaining support arranged atthe center of the rear end of such table. as set forth.

6. The combination, with frame I, block n, and bearing 0, of strip B,provided with tron nions c and table A, as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRIEDRICH SCHMITZ.

\Vitnesses:

. ANTON SOHOENINGER, RAYMOND F. SAYERs.

